Ginsengling#

Inherent gifts in these mystical sprouts reside, Walking forth from the earth, spirits untied. Roots serve as limbs, nourishing body and mind, Beware, excessive gathering brings hardships unkind.

It was written in ancient records that consuming ginseng could bestow longevity, leading many to develop a fervent passion for devouring this precious tuber-especially aged ones. However, some scholars dismissed this notion, viewing ginseng as both a tonic and a poison; its elevated status stemmed from its humanoid appearance, they said. Nonetheless, those who made their living by harvesting ginseng always found eager buyers.

Deep within the valley, the younglings of ginseng shoots trembled with fear at the unmistakable sound of footsteps. It was the dreaded rhythm of the ginseng harvesters' mountain shoes, crushing the thick layers of decaying leaves and rocky earth. And with every eerie resonance, the siblings of the ginseng plants vanished, disappearing one by one. Only the tiniest survivors managed to evade this grim fate, their diminutive size providing a fleeting reprieve. Yet, even they bore the mark of fate-a crimson thread, marking them, and restraining them. Who knew when the harvesters would return, to dig them up once they grew into their full potential?

Time raced by, swift and unyielding. And on that day, the familiar footsteps resurfaced. With the years that had passed, it was likely the offspring of harvesters who were generations younger than those who came before; then a quickened pace, a sense of anticipation-the crimson threads had surely been spotted. But oh, what ill fortune! As the ginseng harvester reached for the thread, it led him to a grim sight-the entwined remains of a skeleton. A curse gathered on the tip of his tongue, but before he could spit it out, the ground behind him rumbled with the sound of scattered dirt. He turned his head; the shifting soil unleashed a monstrous creature, towering and menacing. Fear gripped the harvester, urging him to flee, his frantic screams piercing the air, shouting of man-devouring guais.